Over the past 45 years, I have written and published more than 175 books for adults and children. Sometimes this number surprises me because I didn’t set out to become a writer.
Early in my career, I realized that being a successful writer was more than just writing compelling stories. I need to be a sponge, read widely and broaden my horizons.
True to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ famous quote “Creativity is about connecting things,” I allowed myself to follow my interests wherever they led me.
To this end, I’ve written on a variety of topics, including marine biology, job interviews, teaching, creativity, baseball, archeology, American history, resume writing, tsunamis, and nocturnal animals.
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In my recent book,"looking for old people,” about the longest-lived person In the United States, I began studying tree rings and social psychology. I still have a lot of ideas worth pursuing.
These four principles of creativity have served me well for over forty years.
1. There is no “right” answer
I have been a professor of education for nearly 30 years.
Many of us, whether teachers or students, have been taught to believe that there is only one right answer to every question. This is simply not true. Rarely do we have the opportunity to consider multiple potential solutions to any intellectual challenge.
This is a problem in itself, because as inventor and author Roger von Oech said, “If you believe there is only one right answer, you will stop looking once you find one.”
You need to give yourself space to think about all the possibilities.
Recently, I asked participants in a creativity workshop I facilitate to create as many different uses for paperclips as they could in five minutes. They came up with 57 ideas, including cheap nose rings, ear cleaners, lock picks, mini fishing rods, bookmarks, ant javelins, cheese block holders and tie clips.
The focus on a single right answer mentality forces us into a “take no chances” mentality. But creativity is about making choices—rarely about finding isolated answers. In my writing, I am also constantly looking for multiple approaches and prospects.
2. Allow yourself to make mistakes
The most creative people tend to experience the most failure.
James Dyson created 5,126 Unusable prototype Before the Dyson vacuum cleaner was invented. Thomas Edison spent more than two years trying to improve his light bulb. When asked about the trial and error during this period, he said“I got a lot of results! I learned thousands of things that didn’t work.”
When I wrote “In Search of the Old Days,” I revised 21 separate drafts over the course of 12 months. I didn’t get frustrated because I knew the mistakes that could be made in these drafts. Instead, I see this as an opportunity to make changes and improvements.
For me, the process itself is part of the joy of the experience.
Remember, creativity does not mean perfection. The search for the perfect idea severely limits your thinking and expression.
3. The more curious you are, the more creative you will be
The most creative people I know are able to recall and tap into a childlike sense of the world.
Curiosity is a positive consideration of possibilities. It is the catalyst for questioning, which drives us to seek out the unfamiliar and contemplate the unknown. It opens our minds to explore the unexamined and create the unexpected.
A recent book I wrote was inspired by learning that bristlecone pines have lived continuously in California’s White Mountains for more than 4,000 years. I immediately wondered how they survived So long.
I looked up scientific papers, experienced the trees myself, and contacted some dendrochronology experts.
When I started this process, I had no idea I would get a book out of my research. But my curiosity has always been the foundation and driving force of my creativity.
4. Believe in your creative potential
We all have creative potential, just like we did as children. Unfortunately, our innate creativity often fades over time.
The most creative people I know understand that creativity isn’t about pleasing everyone. If you want people to recognize what you do, then you are not creative. You’re just validating their preconceived notions of what you should be doing. Therefore, there is no imagination, only confirmation.
As a professional educator for more than half a century, I have concluded that creativity also has absolutely nothing to do with IQ—traditional schooling often forces students to remember irrelevant things, remember unnecessary things, and consider the most Important stuff. As a result, we have few opportunities to create, only to reflect.
True creativity is about being able to adapt to chaos. With each book, I approach writing as a journey into something I’ve never experienced before. It’s a celebration of the unknown, and we’re all capable of that.
Anthony D. Fredericks, Doctor of Education, Professor Emeritus of Education at York College of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Psychology Today creative insights blogs and has written more than 100 nonfiction books, including “From Fizzle to Fizz: The Hidden Powers That Destroy Your Creativity and How to Overcome Them,”Two Minute Habits: Small Habits, Dynamic Creativity,” and his latest work “In Search of Ancient Trees: An Odyssey among Ancient Trees.“Follow him LinkedIn.
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